JANUARY. 



11 



by an engraving in the second volume of Hone's 

 " Every-Day Book/' of a singular mode of 

 killing larks at this season, in some parts of 

 France and England. 



As if the feathered race did not suffer enough 

 from famine and the severity of the weather, 

 every body seems now up in arms against them. 

 The law, with a spirit of humanity honourable 

 to the nation, is opposed to tracking game in a 

 snow, yet this is a time of peculiar enjoyment 

 to the sportsman. Water-fowl are driven from 

 their secluded haunts in meres and marshes to 

 open streams ; snipes and woodcocks to springs 

 and small runnels ; where they become acces- 

 sible, and easily found. In towns and villages, 

 every mechanic and raw lad is seen marching 

 forth with his gun to slay his quota of red- 

 wings, field-fares, etc., which now become 

 passive from" cold and hunger. Let all good 

 people, who value their persons, keep at a dis- 

 tance from suburban hedges ; for such sports- 

 man is sure to pop at every bird which comes 

 before him, be it sparrow, tomtit, or robin red- 

 breast; nothing comes amiss to him, and no- 

 thing does he think of but his mark. Many an 

 eye has been lost ; many a cow, horse, and sheep, 



